Covering canvas repairs
May 1st, 2015
Editor's note: Don Racine, a longtime Marine Fabricators Association member and supporter, died on April 18 as the result of a heart attack. He was 61. View Don Racine's full obituary. This article is about canvas repairs: We will discuss bimini tops, cockpit covers and full-boat travel covers. When we look at some of the […]
Unique fasteners and fittings for tops
January 1st, 2015
During the past few years, there have been a large number of new fasteners and fittings made available in the industry. I have found a number of them very applicable to the marine fabrication industry. With the import items from New Zealand, Australia, Germany and Holland, to name just a few, the U.S. market has […]
How to start a custom job
September 1st, 2012
Building a custom interior in a vessel can be a challenge or an excitement. This all depends on how the project is presented to the customer, especially if in the beginning you can portray the idea of an interior that will fit what the customer is looking for. In addition to a low-maintenance or maintenance-free […]
Bending plastic for new applications
July 1st, 2012
Custom bending and forming bolsters from Starboard and PVC board and inside corner wraps can be the coolest part of an upholstery job. We are often confronted with difficult corner pieces that require a special formed piece to give that full custom appearance. Usually I start with 6 mil poly (plastic) and lay it over […]
Techniques for installing marine carpet
May 1st, 2012
It’s that time of year when the trailered boats get hauled out and the projects begin. At Racine Design, we are always busy with regular upholstery and canvas jobs but tend to overlook the obvious other jobs that we can make the same money on, or more. Almost every boat has carpet. Most carpet jobs […]